The First Battle

You did not feel anymore panicked than before, that being nearly none at all, Perfect Overdrive was like a parasite, leeching the caution and the worry from your bones, Your breaths were a hurricane, the batting of your eyelashes a flashbang, The predators were coming, but you would be at their Apex.

In the Blink of an eye, they appeared, those donned in black and white to the left, and... three to the right.

They had appeared almost out of nowhere, or at least they would have to the rest of your family, in this strange slowing, or more accurately, sped up, your aura of perception, You'd felt them coming within the nexus of your 6th sense, like ripples in a pond.

You saw the Troupe of maybe two dozen warriors, caped in jackets of black and plate of silver, shrouded in the Symbol of the Cross.

"The Parish of the Crusade, Finally willing to rear their ugly heads."

They are of little concern, it is the trio above that concerns us.

Indeed, this... group, smelt off, like iron and rubbing ****. They were a peculiar lot that you analysed carefully.

One was freakishly tall, and slightly obtuse, a Huge beast of a man, who wore camo pants, black combat boots and a loose tank top that held in his broad belly. He had long bushy brown hair and a fierce braided beard that poked out from his half mask that appeared to be some kind of malformed iron cauldron with circular eyeholes.

The Second was smaller, imp'ier, dressed in an odd Sage and Gold coloured suit, though Long curly red locks oozed from each side of his tall Emerald green hat, the Visage of... a smiling, red-cheeked man of cartoonish proportions painted on his mask.

In contrast, the Third was a woman, tall and lean... and entirely nude, She was covered head to toe in swirling warpaint seemingly tattooed unto her smooth body, her perky breasts with red nipples hardening at the nip in the air. The only articles of clothing you could spot was the golden ring that curled around her neck, and the golden, Long snouted mask that resembled some kind of screaming Horse or maybe donkey. All else was covered by her hair which was extremely long, it touched the ground and weaved around her legs like a scruffy cloak of Dirty blonde.

The Question was less, what were they, but who were they. Of course, you and Your family exchanged looks, You'd smelt it on them, felt it in the air; these were Vampires, very old, very powerful blooded.

"Ancient Blooded, they may not be superiors but they've been around for hundreds maybe even thousands of years, well practised and time-honed, the older the Vampire, the more dangerous, although, Catagory 4 Vampires are fair game under the Iron Code. This is going to be messy."

It seemed to be a stalemate, a good ole fashion Mexican standoff. The Crusaders seemed hesitant, they were clearly outclassed in terms of power, but in their numbers could do subsequent damage, The One's above seemed oddly entertained by the sight, The Redhaired leprechaun of man even stifled a shrill giggle.

However, you couldn't ignore, that most of the eyes flickered to you, a shadow perched and ready for battle, oozing with energy and power.

A familiar form appeared from the crowd of Crusaders, a female form drapped in black and silver, with her wide-brimmed hat and mask, clutching her huge silver scythe close to her body. She walked into the open and... waved "Hello, Mortal enemies and Vampire scum. Wanna talk?" she called lightheartedly in a distorted voice as if she had some tech had been

You blinked... there was a pause.

"Absolutely!" the Huge Male Vampire called in a cheerful booming voice. His compatriots seemed slight vexed by this as if they had really had enough of hearing that.

The Rabbit's eyes seemed almost bloodshot as she laid eyes on those Vampires, You could sense the pure fury as she shook with rage, Shuck took a hold of her arms sternly, shaking his helmeted head as his golden eyes peered up at you "Moores." His whisper boomed into your supernatural ears.

The Moores? The Clan of Lady Morrigan? So her delegates were here... no wonder Hilde was so furious if they were here, then Morrigan, her daughter's killer couldn't be far.

You felt your grip tighten, the aura of murderous intent spewing from your pores, making everybody jolt at the sudden sensation.

"I want it on good grounds that He isn't going to kill us if we speak in good accord." The Blonde woman above called in a wispy Irish accent.

Dawn looked up at you, a disarming look of pleading as she stepped forward "He'll stand back. Right Shuck?" She called.

Black Shuck held his daughter's arm strongly, and with a grim look in his eye, nodded silently.

The Fuck you would.

"Stand down, Executioner!" The Rabbit called as you tensed. You looked down with confusion, why her of all people would tell you to calm down, didn't she want to avenge her husband? her Daughter?

She still had wrath in her eyes, but it was controlled, You couldn't lose control, especially if she could try and keep her cool.

Dawn took a breath and stepped forward, raising her hands as Lacrimosa jumped to one of the adjacent buildings in between them, the Heavy Irish Vampire casting himself down with a heavy gate, his huge feet cracking into the tarmac as the three stood.

Even the slightest impression of danger and you'd kill them, you'd wipe them off the face of the fucking earth so help you, god.

The Large Vampire looked up at you with smiling eyes "Oooooh, He really doesn't like us. Not nearly as much as the little Rabbit does but ooh boy." He bowed friendly "My Name is Dagda the Joy, shall I start things off? sorry I don't mean to be rude." Why did he sound so friendly?

"Go ahead, I don't mind, I think you have more to say than we do!" Lacrimosa said cheerily, though slightly dully.

Dawn nodded her approval and the Large Vampire; Dagda chuckled heartily "Fantastic. I'd just like to start off with the fact that we bear you, religious types no Ill will, that is unless you try and stop us, the only bad blood we have are with the Drakes, a very rare courtesy. My Lady, our leader, Morrigan has made it adamantly clear, however, that if you attempt to hinder our effort to slaughter our enemies, then you shall quickly be devoured too. Ha!" He let out a single booming laugh and shook his heavy head "I do apologise for my Lady's wishes, our family can be real bastards, but it's just the way it has to be. So what do you say? Walk away?"

Lacrimosa rubbed her chin and stroked the body of her scythe. "Hmmm, I don't think our leader would be very happy if I did that... but I could go and get a Manicure...."

You raised an eyebrow as the Crusaders collectively facepalmed.

"Best not, sorry, I am ordered to capture the Handsome one and kill everyone else, God demands it." She said these things so lightheartedly, were they all fucking insane?

Dagda huffed and looked to Dawn "I trust you understand that this is a War now right?"

Lacrimosa cast her eyes to Dawn also who's eyes narrowed at them, and actually, walked by, pushing past the two and addressing the remaining directly.

"I want you to know something, I am the Jury of our House, It means that I learn and make peace where I can, and so help me, if I can I will. You have your creeds, your codes, your leaders who likely string you along like puppets, we all have them, Mine is that ugly old man over there, There's is some crazy Vampire Bitch, and there's is God. But I have to ask, are these things really worth dying for?"

You and your family smiled.

"We are Hunters of ****, Up there is our Heir, who right now has power equivalent to a superior Vampire running through his veins, our Executioner, and behind me are Black Shuck and the Black Rabbit, Slayers who have killed 100 score of who stands here today, do you see what I am saying? When you're on the ground begging for your pathetic lives, do you think they will spare you? do you think either of the opposing sides will?" They stared, the Crusaders looking with slightly fearful eyes "So I'll ask again, Is this worth dying for?"

"Cocky Bitch." The Woman in the Horsemask whispered.

You did not stir, none of you did, Hunters fought with honour, this battle would not start until all sides were ready.

"I wish you fortune in the War to come." The Huge man bent his knees and flew up to his compatriots, He was heavy a little slow, you felt it in his movements.

"You seem Totes badass, I wish we could go shopping together. Shame this is only the beginning." Lacrimosa said offhandedly.

Dawn stared with furious eyes "No... I'm afraid, that this is the End."

Dawn tossed herself back over to her family, peering at you with "OMG!" In her eyes. You smiled, a Jury worthy of the Drake Name.

There was silence. Everybody was in their corners, the tension was thick in the air, as the Crusader's drew their weapons of gleaming silver, locking and loading their firearms.

The Moores above brandished their claws, the Redhaired man Laughing hysterically as the tension grew stronger, tighter, fiercer.

But you and Your house did not move, you did not need to, there was no need to chase, the prey would come to you.

"I dedicate these deaths, to our sweet Morrigan, long may she feast on the blood of these cretins." The Horse Woman whispered.

You closed your eyes, feeling the bubbling pain in your guts, You didn't a lot of time, luckily enough, things started in a flash.

As suspected both side immediately went for you, the Crusaders rushing for you, the Moores bolting at you like bullets... though none found their mark, Dawn's hammer sunk into the skull of a cross-bearing zealot, splashing his companions with blood, and the Rabbit's spinning form quickly cut off the Moores, the Trio all barely dodging her spiralling wrath as they were pushed back by your family's superior power.

You lingered, watching keenly, waiting patiently... If those three were here, then their leader was too, as soon as you were burnt out, you'd put money on her appearing, if she wanted to avoid... whatever happened last time. Still watching the absolute slaughter that had just begun was getting tiring. you'd have to act if you didn't want to shrivel up into a corpse by the end of the night.

Stepping off of the roof, you walked, hands in pockets looking boredly as another Zealot tried to rush for you, only to have the iron jaws of Black shuck crush into his neck, his head cracking into a painful ****.

You took a breath, and with a Talon cut open your palm, the blood spilling free, its irony smell tickled your nose. "Mhalia..." You whispered, Lugh slipping free and into your hands.

The sword felt alive in your hands the moment you touched it, the flame mixing with the one inside yourself. God you felt so violent, it's why you were slightly hesitant to begin, you could tell that this would be yet another night where things would change, a god's honest war.

Still, you were the executioner, and it was time to do your duty.

Lugh flame burst into life as you pulled it from its sheath, slipping it into your belt, and eyes looked on you.

The Leprechaun looking Vampire laughed manically, bum-rushing at your still form as you gripped the sword patiently with both hands. "So the little Dog finally wants to play, I'm gonna slash you into little ribbons HAHAHAHA!-"

You had moved, a subtle step, just behind him, Embers scattered through the air. The Leprechaun still had a smile on his face, his eyes twitching, the other Moores paused and stared... as You twirled the blade into a wide stance. And his body burning and smoking fell clean in half, bisected groin to guts.

There was an air of surprise, and you looked at them all "Here comes the Guillotine."

BURN THEM ALL.

Zealots came at you, blades in hand, but Nobody else took the kill from you, you instead spun around, batting away their blades, a few reeling back in fear of the flames that shot at them from Lugh's blazing body, but you'd already appeared behind them, swinging in a burning arch that left nothing but burning stumps at their necks.

Bullets came at you, whizzing through the air.

Forevermore.

You saw their cause, written in the web of fate, cutting them into melted halves, and flying at the Holy gunmen, the first letting out a wrenching **** cry as you ran your blade through his guts, watching as his flesh turned to ash.

His companion tried to brandish his weapon at you, only the barrel of your pistol pushed into his cheek and the back of his head exploded.

"YOU ARE NOT VERY NICE, MR HANDSOME GUY!"

It was a blade of silver that tried to return the favour, though a quick counter from you and it flew away, only to come back with just as much **** as Lacrimosa lept into a twisting barrage of attacks, narrowly missing.

She was a cut above the others, easily 50 times as skilled, she ducked and weaved as you traded blows, dancing in tandem as she brandished a gun. You brandished your own and in 6 identical flashes, your bullets met in the rain-filled air, clanking together as with your superior speed, you dashed forward, stamping at her foot, making her scream as your head smashed into hers, sending her flying back into the shadows.

"Don't you know it's rude to hit a lady?"

That voice... that mocking tone... But you'd--

The Leparcaun slashed at your back, but there was no pain just a numbing sensation, it gave you time to sheath Lugh, pulling your other beautiful gun-free and truly put the term "Hair-trigger to the test"

The Leprechaun screamed as you fired both extended clips into him at rapid-fire, muzzle flashing with fire as the silver bullets tore through his pale flesh like fifty calibres as he fell into a sizzling mess on the ground.

"Gonna have to try harder than that!" Another leprechaun behind you? w-what the hell... He must have been faking out... but the thing you were killing, you felt it die.

No these were real individuals, "He must be able to replicate himself somehow."

You hadn't exactly taken a moment to think, instead, the fiery wrath of your blade arched, the flames screeching as they diced up the Lepracuan's boney legs in two precise slices, spinning around to hammer through the Creature's torso, dead blood and dark ash splattering into the seems of your scarf as he flaked away into nothing.

Two Zealots slipped in, the cold painless sensation cracking into your face and bringing your ears as the hard face of a kite shield crushed into your nose. You couldn't stop, Perfect Overdrive **** you onwards even as the seems in your glasses cracked, one of the lenses falling away.

A bullet flashed through your attacker's knee, Lugh slashing open the ribs of his companion; letting out a pained **** wheeze, You pushed further, kicking down the Man who screamed at the bullet in his exploded knee cap and with a silent ferocity, you boot crushed through the cartilage of his skull and into his petrified brains.

The Zealot's were persistent, screaming their praise to god as You threw yourself over the edge to the building where Dawn's hammer clashed with the curved blade of Lacrimosa's scythe, the sparks whipping through the air in a symphony of Silver.

Rolling between them, Your elbow slammed into her stomach, the Quincy's body reeling back only to be caught on her back foot... Jesus this Girl could take a hit.

"DUCK!" Dawn cried, your head flying down as she drew Black baby, bullets whizzing just over your head only to be rendered in twain by the body of that scythe, Yourself and Dawn, however, were not discouraged, the two of you felt a click as your eyes met, something slotting into place, a Twin connection.

With the connection of your minds and Bodies, Dawn seemed to relax, flooded with your certainty, standing side by side, Ice and Fire in perfect tandem.

"You gonna be able to hold on? You don't have long." She whispered.

Perfect Overdrive shook your bones, crushed your insides. You nodded, refocusing as Lacrimosa clutched her gullet which seemed to crackle unnaturally "No fair! It's two against one without Gaudium here!" She moaned girlishly.

"You fucked with the wrong sibling, you crazy Bitch!" Dawn cried as she bolted by your side, weapons raising high in anticipation to strike. The flow of the fight, call and response between yourself and your sister was nothing less than incredible, spinning as blade and hammer splashed fury on that silver scythe that somehow managed to keep up.

Your legs slammed into her torso, yours left hers right, fists smashing into her shoulder blades cracking bone, yours left hers right, and in your synchronicity came Lacrimosa's ruin.

Hammer and sword came down fire and flame together as the inferno within screamed, a roar leaving your lips as Lugh's blade lit up with a fire ten times its size.

_"BRUMAA!!!" _Dawn screamed the head of her hammer crackling with shards of diamond-hard frost which in conjunction with the ever-burning flame of lugh created a chasm of absolute impact. An explosion of steam flew up into the air, blinding you both and flooding the landscape above in a bubbling grey cloud of ice and smoke.

Dawn nearly flew off of her feet from the pressure, but your leg swung out in front of her, clamping down tight on the ground as the explosion blew up right in your face, filling your torso with **** scalding pain.

There was silence, as the cloud of gleaming ice fell from the sky, the raindrops pattering above as a Silver form above slashed at the nude torso of the Blonde Moore above, making her screech and fly back, the Leprechaun tried to rush in only to have silver coins emerge bloody out of his spine, neck and skull.

She perched on the edge of a building above "Chip, Dawn, you alright?"

You shook, quivering as you latched unto consciousness, whatever little strength you had was blown away by that insane monstrosity of physics. The Muscles in your chest and arm felt almost petrified, arms spasming as you felt droplets of blood begin to ooze from your nostrils and from the corner of your lips, you could taste Iron.

Dawn peered at the crippled, steaming thing before them, a mass that was once Lacrimosa. But her eyes looked at the tall, twitching form that stood frozen, guarding her as his sword continued to blaze with more anger than it had started with. "Charlie... Charlie!" She cried, grabbing his shoulder as He groaned.

"Please.... stop doing that...." You managed to wheeze, grunting as Perfect Overdrive ate at your flesh and tore into your veins. "Gchhhhhh" Your teeth clamped together, everything was tense, everything was numb, this was bad, you wouldn't last much longer.

Shuck's jaws clamped down on one of the remaining zealots, the horrible tearing sound of his head and collar being ripped clean of his body echoing in your ears as He pointed his bloody helm towards you "Get that kid a Healing draft and some wolfsbane right now!" He commanded with a growl.

The Huge Vampire Dagda smashed Hilde in her stomach, the absolute beast of a woman smashing her bladed boot right into his....... ouch, tanking the hits he was giving her and launching his colossal form into the black with a barbed fist.

"I'm kind over here!" She roared.

Dawn reached to her side brandishing a Vial and lifting it only for her arm to seize up "Fuck... no, not now..." Overdrive was getting the better of her, She took a long breath "Anchor." and with that, her power sizzled out, although she was now ****. "Just hold on, try and relax, you need to hold back or you're going to kill yourself."

"I can't.... stop...." You wheezed, your breath becoming short as your sight began to fade, the black bolts and heat rising even higher in your steaming form.

She uncorked her Vial and prepared to press it against your lips.

Cold and Icy pain-filled your torso as something sharp and foreign shot 3 inches into your chest cavity. Dawn stared with Horror as the NudeBlonde Vampire's claws cut deep into your chest, just missing the heart by inches as her eyes raised gleefully under her mask "Tag, you're it!" She giggled as Your eyes shimmered momentarily.

"NO!" Dawn screamed, she would be **** without you, she'd die... and your unborn child would die with her. If only you could breathe, if only your body was destroying itself, you could have saved her.

RAAAAH!

You could have made a difference.

WE ARE NOT FINISHED.

You could have--

WRATH!!!

...What the fuck kind of coward would just give up with a measly hole in his chest, Dawn wasn't going to fucking die, not while you could still stand. And if you could not Draw breath, You'd have to survive without it.

Your body tensed as your fangs jutted out, claws like razors sharpened promptly as the Horror of Pure rage filled your being and something dark stirred in the abyssal fire.

Your hand tightened around the wrist that was buried in your chest, and pushing Dawn back you pushed forward slowly, eyes blazing gold as your flesh began to spitefully piece bits of your puzzle, though not all, some of your cracked ribs sealed back up, your broken nose clicked back into place and as you pulled the claw of your adversary from your chest, the tissue began to mend itself in spite of its impossibility.

"You think you can kill me like you killed my cousin?" Your voice was low, and you reached up, pulling the scarf to reveal your face, painted in blood and a demented smile. "You are less than nothing in my presence." She tensed as your hand balled into a fist, crushing the bone in her arms as you rose above her "You are a pawn in my game. You want me, let's see how prepared you really are?"

The Equine jaws of her mask opening on a circular mechanism, Her jaws opened wildly, fangs flashing forward as you planted your fist in it willingly. You felt the cold ooze as she grimaced, your fingers locking on her black tongue, terror-filled her gaze as you whispered "Dragon's breath: Azure Inferno"

You filled this Irish bitches head with a blue inferno that seethed into her guts and flew back out again out of her melting eyes. You let go of her deformed corpse... something told you that didn't kill her, even as her hair was burned into black ash, You could mash a Vampire into jelly, but if the heart or the brain is even remotely still connected, then regeneration is possible.

"Epona you foolish lass!" Dagda laughed as He thumped into the ground before you, his Lepracaun stepping out from behind him from nowhere.

"Oooh, the Red Queen isn't going to be happy about this, hehe!" He laughed shrilly.

"Hush, Aengus, before I cut you open and fuck you bloody again hahaha!!" What the fuck was this guy, a giant twisted Santa clause?

"Hush yourself, ya big lump. Our orders are clear enough, Kill the Drakes."

"3's a Crowd, 4s a Clan." He growled, His voice was not happy.

You watched in confusion, were they seriously arguing right in front of you? You'd grasped at the amount of Nerve that they had but seriously?

"CHARLIE THE FEMALE!" Shuck cried, finishing off the last of the Zealots with his Daughter by his side.

Your eyes darted, looking on as in a split second, the ruined body of the Horse Masked woman launching from the scorch mark where she lay, her eyes burning red as a horrific laugh lept from her jaws.

She flew towards the Corpse of Lacrimosa only... She was Twitch, she was still alive?

It was Trick, they were distracting you, You knew it, felt it the moment your saw movement from that rotten siren, but Lacrimosa was the Enemy, the Crusader had been trying to capture you for god knew how long and you'd have been damned if you'd lifted a finger in their aid... so why were you moving?

You dashed with inhuman speed, placing yourself in the way of those wide-open jaws again, Lacrimosa groaning as she sat up, peering out of her one Unswollen eye to see the tall dark form that protected her.

Epona seemed to wise against trying to bite you again, her bare feet skidding on the tarmac... as she smiled.

That's when you felt it, something incredibly dangerous, and Incredibly angry, primed and ready to kill you, even if you turned now, it would succeed, because the thing behind you was not a Blooded, it was Morrigan.